


Mountain High

by jojowritesthings



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Language, M/M, One Shot, World War II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-09 15:07:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13484058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jojowritesthings/pseuds/jojowritesthings
Summary: The Howling Commandos have a brief reprieve from battle, and Steve and Bucky decide to climb farther up a mountain to take in the view. As the altitude increases, so does the realization that things between them are different since they left Brooklyn and find themselves halfway around the world.





	Mountain High

“We’ll catch up with you back at base!” They waved off the small band of soldiers who were heading into the cheery Alpine village to find and take over the nearest pub. Steve wasn’t much of a drinker anyway and Bucky had been trying to avoid it lately after a few of the guys pointed out how hard he had been hitting the bottle in the past few months. Ever since they’d all been rescued by Captain America. By Steve, Bucky thought to himself.

And it was Steve who rescued him today as they were walking into town by nudging his shoulder with is elbow, pointing up at the small mountain behind the village, and asking if he wanted to go check out the view from up there. He wasn’t sure he really felt like climbing a three-thousand-foot hill, but he could tell Steve really wanted to go and the alternative was sinking onto a bar stool and likely staying there the rest of the evening.

After watching to see that the others all made it into the pub, Bucky jogged to catch up with the tall blond and squinted up at the foothills they were ascending. “Your first and last day off in God knows how long, and you want to climb a mountain.” He grinned, shaking his head hopelessly and clapping Steve on the back. They were both in civilian garb, attempting to reduce the attention they attracted just by being Americans in this part of France during the war. It had been all bombed-out towns and traveling wooded roads by night for weeks now, punctuated by firefights and narrow escapes. It was nice to have a day to relax, even if he never could fully feel at ease anymore.

Steve, on the other hand, just looked back and grinned at his best friend. Bucky knew very well that Steve, who up until recently had been sickly and weak for pretty much his whole life, was taking any opportunity he could to do things he couldn’t before, and climbing up even the smallest mountain was definitely one of those things. Going along to indulge him was better than getting drunk any day, and especially today, when the area was experiencing a warm front for the spring, blue skies, and, well, no bombs. It was practically a perfect day, as far as Bucky was concerned.

“C’mon, Buck, it’ll be worth it once we get to the top.”

Yes, that was Steve. Always the optimist. Never mind that they were still in enemy territory or severely under-prepared as far as defense went. No rifle, no shiny round shield. Just a couple knives and handguns strapped at their belts and boots. Bucky picked at his worn wool sweater and eyed Steve, who was only in a checkered blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and brown pants. Weird how he could look so out of place and at home at the same time as he spun round to look at Bucky again, one eyebrow up toward his ridiculously messy hair. Steve had never looked so carefree in his life. Strong and confident and rid of all the insecurities that had held him back in Brooklyn. It was more than just a physical transformation.

Bucky followed, as usual, but not without complaint. “Steve, I could be down there at the bar right now with some of the best dames in France,” he said with a roll of his eyes, running a hand through his hair, which was also windblown and getting a little too long for military regulation. Not that anyone was regulating the Howling Commandos these days. Who would be bold enough to tell Captain America’s men that they needed a shave? “Instead I’m up here making sure your ass doesn’t fall off a cliff.”

“Nobody said you had to come,” Steve shot back, his blue gaze piercing Bucky’s skepticism easily.

“Like I’m gonna let you climb all the way up there alone?” Bucky elbowed him in the ribs and Steve stumbled a couple feet before retaliating, shoving him sharply toward the rock facing to their left. “Hey! Watch it, Bigfoot. We’re not all super soldiers, y’know.”

Steve laughed. “Obviously.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t still kick your ass up and down this mountain, punk. Don’t push me.”

“I’d love to see you try.”

Never one to let go of a challenge, even from Steve Rogers when he was a short, scrawny pain in the butt—especially then, actually—Bucky snorted and picked up the pace. He butted Steve with his shoulder and jogged past him up the narrow trail in the grass and into the pines. Steve blinked, then grinned widely as he took off after him.

They bantered the whole way up the trail, the insults and challenges only ceasing for a moment every now and then, when the rocky pathway was steep enough to warrant full concentration. After all, neither of them actually wanted to fall off a cliff.

“Keeping up, Barnes?” Steve called over his shoulder.

“Oh yeah, I’m just back here so the great Captain America has something soft to land on when he trips over his own feet.”

At some point they both stopped arguing and turned their attention to the last leg of the climb and the spectacular views that came along with it.

Steve looked back to see Bucky’s face flushed and dark hair ruffled from the cool wind, but otherwise he looked completely unfazed by the whole climb. In fact, he looked healthier and happier than he had in months—like he had looked back in Brooklyn when they were waiting in line for the Cyclone at Coney Island, bright-eyed and excited, in awe over the huge wooden structure and its fast-moving carts. The possibility of danger and knowing Bucky’s mom would chew both their tails out for going without even telling her made it even more of an adventure. Steve was sure Colonel Phillips would do worse than that, probably, if he found out they’d left the group and gone on an impromptu hike through the woods. The forbidden nature of the jaunt still made it more fun.

“What’re you smilin’ at?”

Bucky’s brow was raised as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and Steve had to focus before he realized he was still looking at him. The trail had leveled out and they’d nearly reached the highest point. The little village was tiny when Steve looked back behind him, using the opportunity to try and right his nostalgic grin. He shrugged as he fell in beside Bucky and ran a hand through his hair.

“Just the look on the Colonel’s face if he knew we were up here.”

Bucky grinned back. “Oh yeah, he’d be pissed. I’m surprised you’re not worried about that, Cap. Being the teacher’s pet and all.”

Steve rolled his eyes. “I am not.”

“Uh huh, sure.”

“I don’t always do what I’m told; you know that.”

“No, but you always do the right thing. And leaving the guys down there to go on a nature walk? Sounds a little iffy to me, pal.”

Steve knew his best friend was joking but he huffed in reply and kept walking toward the very highest point of the trail. “Nobody can do the right thing all the time, Bucky; it’s exhausting. Besides, they’ll be fine. And I’ve never—“ He stopped abruptly as he crested the summit and his mouth fell open.

Bucky frowned and was at his side in a second, green eyes widening as his expression changed to mirror Steve’s. “Never seen anything like that,” he finished the other’s sentence and nodded slowly as they both gaped at the sight of the French Alps rising in the distance. They looked like hulking cityscapes carved from stone—wild brown and green giants with white at the tip-top where they disappeared into the clouds. In the miles between the foothill they were standing on and the massive peaks, a couple of towns could be seen along the banks of an enormous lake, like the miniatures you saw at Christmastime with people milling about and popping into stores, and toy trucks rumbling through the countryside loaded with the day’s harvest for the market, or cows and goats grazing in green fields.

They’d both completely forgotten about the Commandos, Colonel Phillips, Hydra, and pretty much everything else as they gazed out at the landscape beneath the bluest sky Steve had ever seen. It was so different from the smoky, monochrome jungle they grew up in.

“Holy cow,” Bucky finally said, breaking the silence and shaking his head.

Steve nodded, swallowing past the lump in his throat. His shoulder brushed Bucky’s as he walked closer to the edge of the summit they were standing on. “You got that right,” he said as he found a large rock near the side and sat down, long legs dangling over it.

Bucky followed and slid down beside him, bracing his hands on the rough stone as he gazed at the landscape. “Feels like we’re part of the sky, huh?” He glanced sideways at Steve and his grin was back as he took in the look on the blond’s face. Pure wonder, like a kid watching the balloons go by for the first time at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

“Yeah,” Steve said, “and I always thought the Empire State Building was the top of the world.” He laughed, his cheeks flushed from the cool breeze and sheepishness at being so naive.

“To a shrimp like you, I guess anything would seem that way,” Bucky shot back with a cheeky smile, and Steve rolled his eyes as he elbowed him.

“Easy. In case you didn’t notice, I’m not a shrimp anymore.”

“Who could not notice? You practically take up a whole room these days. It’s a wonder I get any sleep with you almost taking up two beds, Stevie.”

To that, Steve bit his lip and didn’t answer, opting instead to watch a bird in the distance perch on top of a barn thousands of feet below.

It wasn’t a secret that Bucky didn’t get much sleep these days anyway. The dark circles beneath his eyes had become permanent and he was grumpy more often than not, but Steve couldn’t blame him. Nobody could, after what he’d been through at the hands of Zola and Schmidt. Steve didn’t know the extent of what they’d done, but he still had bad dreams about finding Bucky strapped to a table muttering his name, rank, and serial number over and over to himself. The only information he was allowed to give as a POW.

When they shared a tent, sometimes Steve would wake up and wonder if he’d been dreaming at all. Usually he found Bucky’s eyes open already, watching him when he rolled over to check on him or staring up at the canvas tiredly. Usually he would push the two cots or bedrolls in their tent together, trying to pretend they were kids again, back in Brooklyn with all the couch cushions and pillows on the floor. They’d talk about everything, or sometimes nothing. Usually nothing, because it was easier that way. Avoiding the demons and the hard parts of their job in the war was preferred most of the time, but Bucky was just about the only one who Steve did feel okay talking to about that stuff, and vice versa. It was just a product of knowing each other before the war, before Captain America and the Howling Commandos, and before everything got so damn complicated. Bucky knew that Steve felt like he was obligated to do every single thing he could to help anyone he could, because he’d been given a second chance at being somebody great. And Steve knew that Bucky always thought he was great even before all that, and that he never would have made it this far without him.

“Thanks for comin’ up here with me,” Steve said suddenly, swinging his leg to kick lightly at Bucky’s muddy boot.

Bucky gave him a curious look. “Yeah, no problem. It’s a pretty nice change from drinking and listening to Dum Dum try to sing.”

Steve laughed. “I thought you liked his singing.”

“Nah, it chases all the dames away.” Bucky replied and leaned back, hands braced behind him on the rock as he let the sun wash over his face. With his eyes closed he looked a bit like a lazy, contented cat stretching out for a nap in a windowsill.

“I see,” Steve replied, hunching forward so his elbows rested on his knees as he squinted at the snow-capped peaks lining the horizon. “Wonder if we’ll ever see those up close,” he mused aloud. “Bet they’d be somethin’ else in the wintertime.”

Bucky opened one eye and looked at Steve for a long moment before sitting more upright. One hand reached up to squeeze the blond’s shoulder. “We’ll see ‘em, even if it’s after all this is over. Me and you can do some real traveling then, once we can go wherever we want.”

Steve smiled sadly but nodded anyway. He knew Bucky was just trying to make him feel better. There was a good chance they wouldn’t make it out of this war alive, and they both knew it. But there was a chance, and even if they did, Steve didn’t want Bucky to think he had to keep taking care of him the way he always had. He wasn’t that sick kid anymore. Bucky could go back home to Brooklyn like he wanted, meet a nice girl and settle down. He could live his life in peace if they could just get through this war. And Steve was going to do everything he could to make that possible.

“That sounds great and all, Buck, but I’m sure you’ve got better things to do after the war.”

“Are you kiddin’? Like what?”

“I don’t know. Getting married? Having a family?”

Bucky laughed, loud and clear, and it rang out across the open space before them so that Steve tilted his head, confused.

“Stevie, you think that’s what I want?”

Steve could feel his face getting warmer. “Well, yeah, sure. I just always thought… y’know…” He shrugged.

“I got a family right here.” Bucky wrapped his arm around Steve’s shoulders and ruffled up his hair.

Captain America turned his full gaze on Sergeant Barnes then, brow furrowed as he looked at him for a long moment. The wind was high up on the hill and both their faces were flushed, hair swept up at odd angles.

Bucky rolled his eyes. “Oh God. What is it?”

“What?” Steve pretended to look startled.

“Stop that. You’re giving me your ‘Steve Rogers, Captain Stubborn-Ass’ look. Don’t even try to spout off some kinda ‘Bucky, stop fussing over me and go live your life without me,’ bullshit. It’s never worked before. You think just because you’re built solid as a brick house now and your lungs decided to finally start doin’ their job, you’re just gonna go save the world and I’m gonna read about it in the New York fucking Times?” Bucky laughed, but it was a harsh sort of bark.

“Buck—“ Steve didn’t get to finish, because the look on his best friend’s face cut him off. Bucky's green eyes were sharp as he scrutinized Steve some more and shook his head.

“No way, pal. I told you I’d follow your dumb ass into whatever trouble you get yourself into—because you know it’s not gonna end with this war—and that’s what I’m doing.” It was Bucky’s turn to give the stubborn look. “I know I like to complain about it sometimes, but there’s really no place I’d rather be. I’m with you ’til the end of the line, remember?”

“And I appreciate that, but—“

“No buts, Steve. I said stop it.”

“So you don’t care about going back to New York?”

“Not if it means goin’ without you. They offered me the chance, after what happened, and I told ol’ Phillips to forget about it. I’m sticking with the Commandos.”

Steve sighed heavily. He already knew he was going to lose, but he couldn’t help feeling guilty. After everything Bucky had been through, he deserved to go home and get away from all the danger and the uncertainty, the target on his back that was made even bigger simply because he was fighting alongside Captain America. Steve wanted to help people, not put them in more danger. Especially Bucky.

But still, he couldn’t imagine going on without him at this point.

“I just don’t want anything to happen to you because of me,” Steve said quietly, turning his head to look back out at the rolling green hills and chain of mountains beyond.

“Steve…” Bucky squeezed his shoulder. “If anything happens to any of us, it’s ‘cause we wanted to help. Not because of you, but because there’s people out there who need somebody to stick up for ‘em. Got that?” He stared at the defined line of Steve’s jaw, hoping he wouldn’t be able to tell that Bucky wasn’t being completely honest with him. He would have gone home to Brooklyn. He was tired of the fighting, and felt like he’d been put through the wringer first through battles and then during his imprisonment. And now he had to watch his best friend making reckless, heroic decisions every day because that was Steve Rogers and dammit if he wasn’t going to give it his all, heart and body and soul, so maybe when they were done, people could be free.

And for how long? Bucky held onto the weary assumption that it wouldn’t last as long as anybody hoped. There would always be bullies in the world. Hopefully there would always be somebody like Steve to stand up to them, too. And people like Steve needed somebody to watch their backs, because they were too busy fighting others to worry about themselves.

Steve finally looked back at him, blue eyes soft and seeming to reflect the endless sky above them. “Yeah, I got it.”

“Good. Punk.”

“Jerk.”

Bucky grinned widely and kicked at Steve’s leg, and pulled him closer by an arm around his shoulders. He planted a kiss on the side of Steve’s head and froze there, lingering with his forehead pressed into blond hair. Steve relaxed into the hold and didn’t protest, but as Bucky breathed against the skin just behind his ear, his muscles tensed. For a moment, neither of them moved. Steve could hear his pulse start to pound, the way it hadn’t even done when they were climbing up the hill before.

It wasn’t as though the gesture was unusual or they had never had that kind of affectionate interaction before, particularly in moments of enthusiasm or relief. Steve and Bucky were practically like brothers. They’d grown up together, seen and done more together than they had apart, it seemed like. There was an intangible tether between them and although it stretched and twisted sometimes, it would never break. Other times, like now, it contracted tightly, bringing about moments like this that some people might find questionable. It had never bothered Steve or Bucky before the war, and even now they brushed off any joking or lewd comments from their comrades in arms, because it was all in good fun… But this felt different.

Steve turned his head to face Bucky, finding himself a few inches from him, locked into his gaze. The breeze ruffled their hair and carried away warm breath as they sat in silence. Bucky’s hand had fallen to the rock behind Steve as he shifted to face the larger man more fully.

“Steve…”

The way the sun was shining just right on Bucky's face was enough to cause Steve's breath to catch in his chest and he had to swallow past a sudden lump in his throat.

"Yeah?” 

"I don't know what your uh, your plans are. Or your feelings. I mean, I know it's not fair of me to say stuff like this, but…"

Bucky trailed off, shaking his head as he looked down toward Steve's chest. His cheeks were paler than before. He couldn't look up at those blue eyes again right now. Why had he even said anything?

Of course Steve wouldn't just let it go. It was too late now.

"Bucky," the blond tilted his head to try and catch the other's downcast gaze, "you can tell me anything. I mean, what's ever stopped you before?" He laughed, reaching up to rest his hand on Bucky's shoulder. The dark-haired male looked up then. He looked like a kid again, guilty and unsure, like one of the nuns had caught him smoking in the lavatory back in school. Or like Steve had found out about it.

"It's just... Look, I know it's easy for you to just forget about all the shit the guys say." Bucky paused like he was choosing his words carefully and he was. "About me and you." He frowned, brows pulled together and lips pursed in frustration. Steve rarely saw him so flummoxed. Bucky huffed and shook his head again. "I can't forget it so easy." He looked down again, hunched over and pulling both hands into his lap as he wrung them together. He hoped beyond hope that Steve understood what he was getting at, though another part of him hoped he didn't, and that maybe they could just leave it alone for the rest of eternity.

Steve didn't quite get it. He dropped his hand from Bucky's shoulder and frowned. "Oh... Yeah, they're out of line," he said quietly, nodding as he looked at nothing in particular, focusing on a spot in the rock by Bucky's knee. "I can say something to them. Get them to knock it off if it bothers you.”

Bucky sighed, but didn't look up. "It's not them sayin' it that bothers me," he muttered stubbornly. He felt like he was sinking into a hole. A dark, cold one that he would probably never get out of.

Steve pressed his palms into the rock below him, bit his bottom lip, and glanced out at the sky. "Okay, well, if you want me to... Back off, or something..." It surprised him how much it hurt to say that. He had never felt like Bucky wanted him to act any way other than how he always had around him. Maybe he'd told Steve to cheer up or stop being so serious sometimes, but he hadn't said he felt uncomfortable with the way Steve treated him. It was just the comfort level Steve had reached in so many years. Maybe he was wrong to assume that Bucky had as well. Or maybe it was just the guys making him feel that way recently.

A strong hand was suddenly resting on top of Steve's and he looked at it for a second, confused, before looking back up at its owner. Bucky's eyes were about as focused as Steve had ever seen them, though there was a touch of fear still there, and something a little wilder. Desperation?

"Steve, no. It's not that at all," Bucky said firmly, squeezing the other's hand. "It's not what they say that pisses me off; it's the whole idea behind it. That there's anything to say in the first place. Like... Like it would be such a bad thing if it were true." His face was practically white as the color had drained from it, and he felt a little dizzy. Maybe it was the altitude.

Steve looked at Bucky for a long moment. Was he saying... He didn't think it was so wrong, two men together—like that?

Mom and Pop, the Commandos sometimes called the captain and sergeant. It was a joke, but maybe there was something behind it. Steve would be lying if he said he'd never thought that way... But it was something he had pushed to the back of his mind a long time ago, after years of watching Bucky flirt and dance and chase dames around New York. Women loved him. Why shouldn't they? He was charming and strong and wouldn't hesitate to put himself on the line just to protect somebody else that needed it, be it a woman who was being harassed, a little old lady crossing the street, or some punk kid who couldn't hold his own in the fights he was just too dumb to run away from.

Steve finally blinked and shook his head. His mouth was dry when he spoke. "It wouldn't," he managed to say with confidence. Once he'd said it, he realized just how much he believed it was true.

Bucky's eyes widened. "You don't think so?" He watched Steve's face for any twitch, any sign that might disprove what he'd said. Maybe he still didn't get it. This was something people got kicked clean out of the service for, or worse.

"No, I don't," Steve replied simply. "It's not like it hurts anybody, or does any harm at all." He shrugged, eyes trailing down toward Bucky's hand covering his own. "If two people love each other, I don't see how that can be a bad thing. There's too much hate in the world already." His cheeks burned red as he stared downwards and turned his palm up so he could clasp Bucky's in return, lacing their fingers together.

Bucky thought he might choke. He fought to blink back moisture that had worked its way into his eyes and he swallowed hard. He wasn't even sure any of this was actually happening. Steve meant more to him than anything. He had for a very long time. There was just never any way for Bucky to tell him that without worrying it might ruin everything. That Steve wouldn't feel the same way, or that he'd be angry that somebody he considered his best friend would have gross feelings like that about him. He'd been ashamed to even think about it.

And now? Now Steve was Captain America, with the whole world's attention and everybody finally seeing him as the hero he had always been. The kid who would give up his lunch money to buy a homeless man a pair of gloves or get pneumonia from going out in the snow to take their ninety-year-old neighbor's trash out. He was the kindest person on the whole fucking planet, and now his body no longer limited him from literally saving the world, so who wouldn't fall in love with him?

"You okay?" Steve's eyes squinted through the sun as he smiled at Bucky and squeezed his hand.

"Yeah... Yeah, I am." Bucky laughed, exasperated, and shook his head. "I'm just feelin' kinda dumb right about now."

"And how is that so different from usual?”

"... I'm trying to have a moment here, asshole.”

Steve laughed, and Bucky joined him, the pair of voices carrying into the cool breeze until both men were doubled over, Steve leaning against Bucky's side for support and hoping they didn't tumble over the edge of the mountain.

When they were out of breath, abs sore from laughter, it got quiet again and Steve noticed how the sun seemed a little lower in the sky, casting a golden glow over the whole valley at their feet. He leaned his head on Bucky's shoulder.

"You know I just want you to be happy, right? Whether it's with me, or somebody else. You deserve to be happy." Steve didn't know what made him say that right then. Maybe it was how much he'd worried lately about the far-off look in Bucky's eyes or the bruised circles beneath them.

Bucky nodded, wrapping his arm over Steve's shoulders again. "You do too, Steve. For you, not anybody else." His fingers pushed through Steve's hair as he held him there. "I never told you before, when I was trapped in Zola's factory..." Bucky swallowed, not liking to bring up the horrifying snippets of what he could remember from that place. Even scarier was how much he couldn't remember. "You were the thing that kept me alive, Steve. Whenever they were poking at me and trying to get information... I don't remember much, but I know I was thinking I couldn't say anything ‘cause once they had what they wanted, they'd get rid of me. And I had to get out of there, cause who was gonna make sure you didn't do somethin' stupid and get yourself killed?" Bucky grinned. "Guess you only managed one of those things while I was gone.”

Steve grinned, too. "So far." He looked up at Bucky. "You shoulda known better than to think you could go off to war and leave me behind.”

"Yeah, well, I guess your stupidity did get me out of there, so…"

"You'd do the same thing.”

"For you? 'Course I would.”

"For anybody.”

"Hmm, don't go making me out to be a saint just yet. I'm not Captain America, ya know.”

"Well, I hear that guy's kind of a jerk anyway.”

"Oh, no doubt. He may have everybody else fooled, but not me.”

Steve laughed again. "He wouldn't have it any other way.”

"Good... Cause I'm gettin' kind of attached to him.”

"It's the outfit, right?”

It was Bucky's turn to laugh, and the way his eyes crinkled at the corners was enough to make Steve's blush return.

"Nah, it's more the guy behind the mask... But the tight pants don't hurt, either." They were both crimson-cheeked as Steve lifted his free hand to scrub at the short stubble along his jaw. Bucky bit his lip. "Steve," he turned tentatively so one of his legs was bent between them, the other still dangling off the rock. "Do you mind if I... try something?”

Blue eyes widened as his head tilted up to look at Bucky and Steve felt a tiny wave of panic. It wasn't that he didn't know what Bucky was asking. The look on the other man's face pretty much said it all. But Steve wasn't sure he wouldn't mess it up. Bucky was the more experienced one when it came to any kind of romantic endeavor. Steve never even kissed a girl until couple years ago, and that first experience had been so awkward and mortifying that he'd practically sworn off women until more recently, when he couldn't seem to fight them off even if he wanted to. It was still awkward. He'd gotten a little better at the kissing part. Even gone all the way with a really nice girl who had been part of the press tour, who was easy to talk to and always liked to go for coffee and chat after the shows were over when everyone else went out drinking and dancing. She had stayed in the States when the smaller press tour went overseas.

Then there was Peggy Carter, who Steve found to be both intimidating and inspiring. She understood him and seemed to be about the only person besides Erskine and Bucky who thought he was worth anything before he became Captain America. Steve, on a silly romantic whim, even carried her picture around with him, but the more thought about it, the less reason he had for it. Peggy was an incredible, strong woman, but she wasn't the person Steve cared about the most. And she had to have seen that. She was smart. Besides, he still wasn't a hundred percent sure she and Howard Stark didn't have some kind of... fondue club or something.

"Steve?"

The blond snapped out of his daze and realized he'd been staring at Bucky's lips for the better part of a minute.

Bucky just chuckled. "It's okay. Maybe another time?"

Steve swallowed and blinked a couple times. "What? No. I mean... There might not be another time." Nobody knew what might happen the next day when they rolled out of camp, or even what might happen five minutes from now. Steve was pretty sure they had a limited window for carpe diem, and all that. He reached up, resting his right hand against Bucky's jaw, and hesitated for a short moment. Wide, sparkling green eyes met his and he leaned forward until the small gap between them was closed.

Bucky didn't know what he'd expected, but this was better. Steve's fingers slid into his hair as he pressed back into those soft lips. His breath hitched and he felt a warm, soaring sort of feeling spread from his chest up to his face, and pretty much through his whole body. He thought he might float up into the clouds or something if it weren't for Steve anchoring him down.

If Steve had any doubts before about this being the right thing, they disappeared as he melted into Bucky's kiss, brushing his lips against the other's softly at first, then with more feeling as Bucky's teeth grazed Steve's bottom lip and he gasped. His grip on Bucky's hair tightened a little bit, while Bucky's palms were pressed flush against Steve's broad chest.

Their breath escaped into the cool air in quick puffs when they parted. Bucky's eyes opened first as he pressed his forehead against Steve's and watched for any sort of delayed mortified reaction. Which never came, of course.

Steve's blue eyes flicked open and he looked at Bucky through his lashes, then grinned widely.

Bucky merely laughed and rested a hand on the back of Steve's neck. "Jesus, Stevie. Where'd you learn to kiss like that?"

"You're not the only one who was attracted to the outfit."

"Ugh, you're such a punk."

"Are you jealous?"

"Yes.” Bucky nodded, looking offended. “Some dame got to steal Captain America's virtue, when that was supposed to be my job."

Steve felt his face burning again but laughed despite it. He was too elated to feel overly embarrassed at the moment. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize. I plan on making up for lost time." Bucky stole a quick kiss from the corner of Steve's lips and then sat back a little, taking a deep breath. Steve was a little disappointed to have to tear his eyes away from Bucky and the way the light was hitting his face. He tried to commit the vision to memory so he could sketch it later. He shifted closer to Bucky as he looked across the valley as well. They both gazed back at the far-off mountain range.

"We'll climb one of those sometime. Shouldn't be much of a challenge." Bucky glanced at Steve with a cheeky grin.

"Sure, for one of us, anyway." Steve shot back, wrinkling his nose. He stared out at the mountains once more before getting up and offering a hand to Bucky. "Guess we should get back. Make sure the guys haven't cleaned out the whole bar or burned it down yet."

Bucky groaned but accepted the hand up. "Fun's over already, huh?" He smirked at the look on Steve's face. "Alright, captain's orders, I get it... But I'm still gonna beat you back down this hill."

"You're gonna have to pick up the pace then, Barnes." Steve pulled him up and nudged him with his hip before whipping round to take off back down the trail.

"Oh believe me, I'm gonna!" Bucky quipped as he whizzed by, and Steve's grin widened as he followed. It might've been the first mountain they climbed, and a small one at that, but he was pretty sure it wouldn't be the last.


End file.
